Flowers have a language all of their own. You already know this: giving someone a red rose, rather than a sunflowery, says something quite particular; and a daisy chain around your neck sends a very different message from a camellia on your lapel. The Victorians, never ones to let emotion and instinct rule when they could make everything overcomplicated and tortured instead, turned floriography into a complex secret code: a solid colour carnation meant yes, a striped one no. But the fundamentals of the language are deep-rooted and intuitive to most of us. Rosemary for remembrance, snowdrops for hope.

So there's no logic in thinking of flowers as a uniform category in fashion: in general, they simply stand for femininity, which doesn't narrow it down at all, because femininity is as broad a church as they come. Each type of floral says something different. But – and this is why designers love them – they set mood music, rather than spelling out their message. A bright, naive daisy motif can be sunny and uncomplicated or late-60s psychedelic, depending on how you use it. Spriggy, muted florals can be Little House On The Prairie or Bloomsbury Set, depending on how they're coloured and cut, and on the wearer's hairstyle. There is room for ambiguity and nuance of the kind you just can't achieve with a slogan T-shirt.

So I offer no apology for "defining" this season's headline floral as Vaguely Oriental. Designers are currently drawn to peonies and chrysanthemums, often on black backgrounds. Fashion in general has shifted from peppy, clean-lined minimalism to something darker and more gothic but still elegant. The Vaguely Oriental floral is in line with this. It is slightly unfamiliar, and a restrained, slightly sombre beauty; timeless, rather than retro.

There is another reason the Vaguely Oriental floral feels right for now. This picture was taken indoors, a while ago; by the time you read this, we will be firmly into black tights season, and a print with a black background is an easier fit with dark hosiery. The language of flowers and femininity may be complex, but this is a point we all understand.